2021-05-28 Wild and Windy

Dried Meat Lake - Ted's Place

Ted's Report:

I got a call from Blaine at about 10:30.  He was thinking of coming out to foil.  (The waves on our lake are smaller than at Alberta Beach, so the foiling - and jibing - should, in theory, be easier.

He arrived around 12:30.  The wind was averaging 40kph and gusting to 60kph.  We decided to go windsurfing instead of foiling.  I rigged my 4.8 and Stubby and was first out.  I had some great reaches, and one of my best jibes of the year....  (oh... it was my first time windsurfing this year).

After four or five reaches the wind dropped a bit, and I saw Blaine coming down the hill with his foil, so I went to shore to see what was going on.  He had forgotten the fin for his stubby.  I told him I had one that would work, but he already had his foilboard down the hill so he was committed.

Ted - 4.8 on Stubby

The wind dropped as soon as Blaine's foot touched the water.  I waited a bit, but it didn't seem to be coming up, so I rigged my foil board and headed out on the same 4.8 as I had used on my stubby a half-hour before.

Blaine and I had some great reaches, although I was overpowered a lot of the time and just letting the sail flag - but still staying foiling.  Then the wind kicked up again, and we both came in for a rest.  On my last reach, I was hanging on by the mast and not sheeting in at all - yet I continued to foil all the way back.....

Blaine

We sat in the wind shadow created by my truck and had some water, and then went out again.  Blaine changed to a thicker wetsuit, and I re-rigged to my 4.2 (my smallest sail).  The wind was up and down.  At times we were more or less in control, and then there would be a big gust.

I should probably have gone back out on my stubby, but by this time it was after 4:00 and I was pretty well done.

We de-rigged and had a beer and a debriefing session with Louise, (all properly distanced), on our driveway before Blaine had to go home to cook Winnie supper.

The day was bright and sunny for the most part, although the temperature started to drop as the afternoon progressed, so it got quite cool by the end.

Thanks to Louise for taking all the photos.  More photos are on my Flickr site here.

Ted

Ted

Blaine - powering into a jibe!

Lac Ste. Anne - Alberta Beach

Al's Report:

It was a cold, wet, and windy windsurfing day at Alberta Beach for Harold, Al, Vadim, and Tim (in order of age?).  

We were on the water by noon.  Al had a couple of good reaches on his 85 l board with 3.8 sail then spent lots of energy struggling to get back to shore.  The wind was very up and down.  

Harold spent the day using his 3.7, Tim a 4.8.  Vadim used various sail and board combinations. 

Al switched to a 4.2 then back to a 3.8.  It was a great fall weather day with lots of wind.  

Mike and Ross were also out kiting.

Allan

PS  weather was a bit dreary for photos

Vadim's Response:

Al's report is nice and makes me feel a few years younger.  Frankly speaking, I didn't get any fun today but did get a lot of muscle work!  Wrong equipment for sure!

Ross's Update:

As always, late.

Yesterday, Ross, Matt, and Mike kiting 5m, 7m, 6m respectively.  There was decent swell albeit a bit choppy.  Good shore break to play in strapless.  Lots of strapless jumps, less strapless landings but the frequency is increasing.

Andrea's was late to the party but still, fit in an 8m foil session early evening.  That work thing......

The weather was a bit dreary but surprisingly warm. Ok, it actually poured for a while!

Also for the record; Matt, Mike, and Ross out light wind foiling and kiting on Thurs at Pigeon Lake.  Flys were plague-like....foiling was nice with sun and fairly steady 9m foil for me, 7m+ for windsurfing foil?

Harold's Report (not received until May 30th)

Hi Ted.  I don’t know whether you missed a great day or dodged a horrible day.   I support it depends on whether or not you like challenging gnarly sailing. 

It was cold, it was raining and it was blowing, shifting, and gusting. 

I used my 3.7 and my 85 liter board.  One minute the 3.7 was too much and I was fighting it and the next minute the 3.7 wasn’t enough and I was slogging.  It was that kind of day. 

BUT the big shore swells were glorious.  Sometimes I feasted on them and sadly sometimes they feasted on me.  Oh well. 

Allan sailed a 3.8, Tim a 4.7 and Vadim a 4.1.  Tim summed it up when he said  “Well, we all got a workout”.

BUT I think everyone enjoyed the challenge and had fun. 

The kiters were out and were looking good.  I know the Ross and Mike were there.  I’m pretty sure that they were using boards without foils because I didn’t see the bat things and I believe I saw the little pointy things. 



Comments

  1. Lent29 May 2021 at 20:10

    Sounds like a great day for all. My day was awesome. I rigged a 13 month old and hung on in the wind. I spent a lit of time up hauling on command and changing diapers under protest

    ReplyDelete

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